Improvement in trusses



A truss.

ATENT 'Erica IMPROVEMENT IN TRUSSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,@61, dated December 8, 1863.

To @ZZ whom. it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM R. STEPHEN- SON, M. D., of West Greenville, in the county ot' Mercer and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hernial Trusses 5 and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ef the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specitcation, in which- Figure l represents a rear elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detached side elevation ot' one of the pads.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the three views.

This invention refers to an improvement in that class of trusses or supporters the bodyspring of which branches oft at the back end, so as to form a double bearing.

The object of the improvement is to arrange the branched ends of a double bodyspring by means of straps for extension and counter-extension, so that they cross each other and bear with equal force on the opposite sides of the spine; and, furthermore, the pads are so combined with a strap and with a ratchet and spring-pawl that the pressure exerted by said pads on the body can be increased or diminished at pleasure without removing the To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it. v

A A' are two body-sprin gs, which, together with the required number of pads, constitute a double truss or supporter. each of these springs branches oft'in two parts, a a and a a', which cross each other when the truss is applied to the body. The several ends of the branches a' a' are provided with pads B B', which may be made round or in any other suitable shape, and connected to the spring', so that they rotate on their pivots, or that they remain stationary when desired.

C C' are straps which connect the ends of the springs,and which are adjustable by means of several holes which catch over buttons c c', as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings. The buttons c, which retain the outer springs, C, are inserted into the outer ends of the branches a a', and the buttons c', which retain the middle spring, G', are inserted into the body-springs A A', close to the points where they branch off, so that by the straps C C an l The rear end of extension and a counter-extension can be effected. By this arrangement the truss can be adjusted to fit persons ofdift'erent stature, and the pressure of the pads on the opposite sides of the spine can be regulated; and, furthermore, by crossing the branches of the springs A A and connecting them by straps C C' the position ot' the truss is rendered much more firm than it is when the springs do not reach across the spine. The front ends of thc springs A A' are curved, as shown in Fig. 2, and they are rounded off to form the bearings for the arms D D', to which the pads E E' are rmly secured. These arms are hung loosely on the ends ot the springs, and they are split open to make room for ratchet-wheels d d', which are iirmly secured to the ends ofthe springs.

F F' are spring-pawls, which are secured to the backs of the pads E E', and which catch into the teeth of the ratchet-wheels d d'. By releasing' said pawls the pads may be turned freely on the arms, and by means of the ratchet-wheels and pawls the arms D D,With the pads, can be set to any desired inclination. The extreme front ends ot' the springs A A' are connected by a strap, G,which is attached to buttons e e', and which can be adjusted by means of several holes. This strap, together with the straps C C' on the rear, serves to adjust the truss to persons ot different sizes.

The pressure of the pads on the inguinal canal can thus be regulated Without taking oft' the truss by throwing the swinging arms D D', with the pads, in or out, as the case may be, and arresting them in the required position by the ratchet-wheels and pawls, and also by lengthening or shortening the strap G.

I do not claim as my invention the branching off of the rear ends ot' the body-springs; neither do I wish to claim the use ofthe ratchet-wheels and pawls in connection with the truss-padsindependentot' the' other parts; but,

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination ot' the adjusting-straps O C' G and body-branching overlapping springs A A' with each other and with the swinging arms D D' andpads E E', in the manner herein shown and described.

WILLIAM E. STEPHENSON.

Witnesses:

J Essn FELL, ALEX. HUNTER, J r. 

